Hinge.



No. 685,679, Patented oct. 29, Ism.

A. L. FUSS.

HINGE (Applicatlpn i-led J (No M udel.) 2 Sheats-Sllent 2.

l r11/mum han . UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED L. FUSS, OF IASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. l

HlNeE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent N o. 685,679, dated October29, 1901.

Application filed June 1, 1901. Serial No. 62.772. (No model.) l

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. Fuss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Hinges; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in hinges, and more particularlyto a reversible lock-hinge adapted for use on window-shutters.

The object in View is the production of an improved hinge of that classin which the leaves are duplicates of each other, whereby they arereversible and the hinge is relieved of the objectionable feature ofbeing either right or left hand.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novelconstructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents in side elevation ahinge embodying the features of the present invention, the leaves beingadjusted to constitute a lefthand hinge. Fig. 2 represents a top planView of the same. Fig. 3 represents an extended plan of the interposedconnecting member. Fig. .4 represents a front elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 1, the leaves beingl adjusted to form a right-hand hinge,the left-hand hinge adjustment being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. 5represents a top plan View of the same. Fig. 6 represents in sideelevation the intermediate' connecting member in the act of adjustmentupon the pintle of one of the leaves. Fig. 7 represents an end view ofthe intermediate connecting member.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l 1 represent the leaves of myimproved hinge, each of which is provided with a suitable shoulder 2,from which extends a pintle, as 3, spaced from and parallel with theinner edge of said leaf. At a suitable point intermediate the length ofthe inner edge of each leaf is provided a lug, as 4.

In order to connect leaves l 1 for producing a hinge, I provide asuitable pintle-re` ceiving member, as 5. The member 5 is preferablyformed from a single sheet of material, as best seen in Fig. 3, Which isstamped or cut so as to provide one end thereof with aplnrality ot' lugs6 6 and an intermediate lug 7 and the sides thereof preferably with ears8 8, having elongated slots 9, with side extensions 10` at right anglesthereto, and having projecting lugs 12 parallel with the lugs 6 and '7on the body of the blank. The blank is preferably cut away, as at 11,for a purposehereinafter fully set forth. From this blank theintermediate connecting member 5 is formed ready for application to theleaves 1 l by folding the ears 8 .at a right angle to the body of theblank, whereby apertures 9 9 are brought into registering relation witheach other, as best seen in Fig. 6. Lugs 12 12 are adapted to engage oneof the faces of leaf l. Lugs 6 are bent at right angles to the main bodyof the sheet and then bent upon themselves at a right angle, wherebythey form a squared abutting surfacev and overhanging lips, the abuttingsurfaces, together with the end edges of ears 8, being adapted to bearagainst the inner edge of one of the leaves 1, while their outer ends orlips engage one of the faces of said leaf. Lug 7 is left in its originalstraight condition and is adapted in operation to engage the oppositeface of leaf 1 to that engaged by the lips of lugs 6. The opposite endof the blank 5 is folded upon itself, as best seen in Fig. 6, and passesbetween ears 8 8, whereby the aperture 11 is positioned at the endOfmember 5, whereby in operation space is left for the free passage oflug 4, at the same time locking the leaf Whose lug extends through saidaperture 11 against longitudinal disconnection from its companion leaf.

In operation I preferably insert pintle 3 of one of leaves l 1 throughregistering slots 9 9, to the rear of the folded-in end of the platecomprising member 5, and then force the same against the spring-pressureof said end into extension 10, whereby the member 5 is free to be swungupon said pintle until the end thereof registers with the inner edge ofthe leaf and may then be forced to a position in which the pintle 3 isagain in slot-s 9, and lugs 6 6 and 12 12 will be upon one side of theleaf, while lug 7 will engage the other face thereof, the lug 4extending between ICQ lugs 6 6 and locking member 5 against longitudinallremoval from said leaf. In this position the said pintle 3 is held bycontact with the folded-in end of the plate comprising member 5 in therear end of slot 9. The leaf forming the remaining portion of the hingeis next applied by passing its pintle 3 through the front end of slot 99 in front of the folded-in end of the plate comprising member 5, andthe said pintle will be held in said front end of slot 9 by thespring-pressure of said plate, the said plate extending between andseparating said pintles It will be seen by reference lo Fig. 3 that theopposite edges of said plate are formed with lugs 13 13, which inoperation are adapted to engage theA lower edge of shoulder 2 of thelastmentioned leaf, and thereby lock the same in its opened position-`the same being held by the weight of the shutter or door, as is common.The parts having been assembled to form a right-hand hinge, as seen inFig. 4, if a left-hand hinge is desired all that will be necessary willbe to remove the lastapplied leaf l from engagement with member 5 andreverse the same, the pintle 3 assuming a relative position to member 5similar to that previously had, as illustrated in dotted lines in saidFig. 4. Another means for changing a right-hand to a left-hand hinge andthat preferred is the removal of member 5 from engagement with its leaf1 byareverse operation from that described in adjusting the member andthen placing said member 5 in the manner hereinbefore set forth upon theopposite leaf 1. Of eourseit will be apparent that member 5 may bereversed with relation to the leaf 1, upon which it was formerlysecured, with the same facility as ob tained in applying it to theopposite leaf, the said member 5, when reapplied to the said leaf forchanging the hinge from a right to a left hand one, having only to beinverted.

It will be seen, of course, that I prefer to provide any suitable numberof apertures, as 14 14, in leaves 1 1 for securing the same in thecommon manner; but I differ from said common form in providing beveledor reamedout apertures, the said bevel being formed on both sides ofleaf 1, as best seen in Fig. 5, whereby said leaf is interchangeable andmay be used for forming a part of either a left or right hand hinge, andthereby obviating all possibility of confusion or inconvenienceresulting from the necessity of two forms of hinges.

Although I have specifically set forth the details of the presentinvention, yet I do not desire myself understood as being limited to theexact form or precise structure of t-he minordetails of myimprovedhinge; but shall feel at liberty to deviatetherefrom Within the spiritand scope of the present invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hinge comprising two leaves of similar construction, each providedwith a pintle, and an interposed connecting member provided with top andbottom parallel ears or flanges having registering apertures to receivethe pintles of said leaves, substantially as described.

2. A hinge, comprising in its construction leaves of similar form, andan interposed engaging member adapted to lock such leaves in hingingrelation to each other, the said iuterposed securing member comprising amain body, means for engaging the inner edge of one of the leaves,parallel top and bottom ears having registering apertures for receivingthe pintles of said leaves, and means for locking the said interposedmember against longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

3. A hinge, comprising in its construction leaves of similar form, eachof said leaves being provided with a shoulder, a pintle extending fromsaid shoulder, and means for engaging said pintles for holding saidleaves in hinging relation to each other, comprising an interposedmember provided with top and bot tom ears, with registering openings toreceive the pintles, locking means for preventing the removal of saidinterposed member from one of said leaves, and means for preventing theremoval of the opposite leaf from engagement with said interposed memberwhen in its open position, substantially as described.

4. A hinge, comprising in its construction interchangeable leaves, eachof said leaves being formed with a shoulder, a pintle extending at rightangles to the shoulder and parallel to the inner edge of the leaf, lugsextending inwardly from the inner edges of said leaves, and aninterposed engaging member adapted to receive said pintles and retainthe leaves in hinging relation to each other, said interposed membercomprising a main body portion, ears extending at right angles theretoand provided with registering apertures, lugs formed upon the said earsand lugs formed upon the said main body portion, and bent at rightangles thereto, and again bent upon themselves whereby all of said lugsare adapted to engage one face of one of the leaves, and a lug extendingfrom said main body portion adapted to engage the opposite face of oneof the leaves, the said interposed member when in engagement with a leafhaving one of its bent lugs above and one below the lug on the inneredge of said leaf, while the pintle of said leaf extends through theregistering apertures of the ears of said in-4 terposed member, wherebysaid member is locked against removal, a spring formed of the said mainbody portion folded upon itself and passed between said ear, and meansfor locking the opposite leaf against removal when in an open position,comprising an aperture in said main body at the point of its fold,forming opposite Walls adapted to engage the inwardly-extending lug uponthe IOO IIO

inner edge of the said last-mentioned leaf p when the pintle of saidleaf is passed through the registering apertures in said ears,substantially as described.

`5. A hinge, comprising in its construction vsimilarly-formedinterchangeable leaves,

operating in the said registering apertures of the body of saidinterposed member, the construction and arrangement being such that saidhinge may be changed from right to left hand by inverting either thelast-mentioned leaf or the said interposed connecting member,substantially as described.

G. A hinge, comprising two leaves ofsimilar construction, a pintlecarried by each, and an interposed connecting member having apertures toreceive the pintles of both leaves,

and a spring-lock for holding one pintle in position and separating bothpintles from each other, substantially as described.

7. A hinge, comprising in its construction leaves made alike, pintlescarried thereby, a connecting member for joining the leaves together,having irregularly-shaped apertures formed therein for receiving thepintles, a portion of said connecting member being folded back uponitself and having a spring action for holding one of the pintles in thisportion of the said recesses while the other pintle passes upon theother side of said spring projection and engages another portion of thesaid recesses, the structure being such that when both pintles are inplace they are locked inI their respective portions of the recesses, andthe formation of theconnecting member being such that the leaves of thehinge may be reversed with respect to each other -for forming right andleft hand hinges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of tWoWitnesses.

ALFRED L. FUSS. Witnesses:

E. T. FENWICK, EDGAR M. KI'TCHIN.

